Make All LACCD Colleges Sanctuary Campuses

The Community College system was founded and established on the basis that it would welcome everyone in the communities they serve regardless of education level, sex, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, Immigration status, and/or sexual orientation; a true “People's College”. It is an institution that has provided several communities with their first opportunity and many more with a second, third, fourth and even a fifth chance. The LACCD prides itself in being an undeniably unique and necessary resource for members of different and diverse communities throughout the city and greater Los Angeles area. Being the largest district in the nation and serving a large population, almost a quarter of a million people; from the most unfortunate to those who are better off and everyone in between, of all walks of life,it is a reflection of the remnants of long deteriorating american dream. That dream, long understood by the idea that this nation provides opportunity to anybody willing to work to succeed. The community college keeps this dream alive by providing opportunity to the people. The old, the young, poor, rich, professionals, academics, athletes, workers, native and foreign constitute our community College which is devoted to an inclusive learning and working environment.

Today these ideals are under attack. Throughout the election campaign and the first few months as president, Donald Trump has advocated aggressive and punitive measures against undocumented immigrants, he has targeted muslims with a travel ban, he has sign off on an executive order attacking the rights of our transgender community and he has presented himself as a predator and advocate against the rights of women. Now his election as president presents significant challenges for our communities in our district. Our students, faculty, staff, campus employees, and their families are the targets of vitriol and hate crimes. Many people feel under siege and live in fear of deportation. President Trump has promised to deport millions of undocumented immigrants from the United States and end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which currently provides deportation relief for undocumented youth and grants authorization to work in the US. These attacks on the affected communities and their families are an affront to our entire LACCD family.

We, the undersigned students and faculty, petition the district to immediately develop protocol for making itself a sanctuary “safe zone” for those communities under attack including undocumented students, faculty staff, workers, and their families. In doing so, we join universities and colleges across the country in taking concrete steps to ensure a safe and secure environment for education, training and service.

Recently, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has unequivocally stated its unwillingness to engage in law enforcement activities solely based on immigration status and made clear that the LAPD does not support the Department of Homeland Security’s deportation efforts. In the wake of President Trump’s pledge to remove millions of people from the US, 741,500 of which are DACA youth, we strongly encourage the LACCD Board of Trustees and college administrators to develop actionable steps to ensure the Los Angeles Community College District provides a safe haven for undocumented members of our campus communities.

We demand the LACCD to take the following concrete actions:

Declare our district as sanctuary “safe zones” by adopting policies not to assist in enforcement of federal immigration law.

Adopt and implement written policies that safeguard the privacy of all student records and allow district staff to share student information with federal law enforcement agencies only in response to a court order enforcing a subpoena. Such policies should clearly describe the process through which school staff address informal requests or administrative subpoenas absent a court order.

Reaffirm the LACCD’s policy to not cooperate with federal ICE authorities regarding deportations or immigration raids and assure the entire district community that the Sheriff's Community College Bureau will not engage in helping the federal government with deportations or inquiring as to any information regarding immigration status or country of birth of any student or their family members, including, but not limited to, birth certificates, social security numbers, or passports. As with any law enforcement agency, require federal or immigration agents seeking information or access to a school site to have a warrant signed by a federal or state judge.

Commit to compile and publicly report data on every incident of bullying, harassment, or other discrimination to raise public awareness of this problem and the importance of devoting resources to address it;

Reaffirm the LACCD’s commitment to support and protect all of its students and workers, regardless of their citizenship status, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or national origin; Send a strong message to staff, students, and families affirming values of diversity and inclusion, and making clear that unlawful discrimination against students will not be tolerated; and let it be understood that all students are guaranteed equal access to school, regardless of their or their families’ immigration status.Create partnerships with community-based organizations and legal services organizations who provide resources for families regarding immigration issues.

Reaffirm the LACCD’s commitment to create a campus atmosphere of respect by denouncing the hate speech directed at immigrant, minority, and LGBTQ students and workers, and by informing the campus of existing resources for reporting and responding to bias or hate incidents; Ensure that resources are distributed to students, educating them about their right to a safe and inclusive educational environment.

Provide strictly confidential counseling services for undocumented students, DACA recipients, staff, workers, and their families regarding their situation; Establish a space where staff or partners with expertise in immigrant and undocumented populations can serve as resources for impacted students and their families;Provide and fund training/workshops to educate faculty, students and staff on their rights and protocol incase any federal law enforcement agency such as ICE/ CBP present themselves in the classroom.

Provide and fund cross-cultural competency training/workshops to educate faculty, students and staff in order to promote diversity and promote adequate behavior in our ever growing multicultural campuses, similar to those required at the University of California and California State University;

We, the undersigned, believe the Trump administration’s proposed immigration policies pose a grave threat to LACCD’s mission of equity, diversity, and inclusion. Given these dire circumstances, we urge continued conversation and concrete action from the Board of Trustees and College administrations .